Alison’s POV
The room was quiet except for the steady hum of the air conditioning and the faint chirping of birds outside the window. The atmosphere was warm, cozy even, but the tension in my chest was suffocating. Everything felt surreal, as though I was still caught in a strange dream.
After I woke up from my short rest, my mind began to race trying to piece together the fragments of memories and the shocking revelations that Katherine had just been sharing with me.
“You’ve missed so much,” Katherine said, her voice soft but tinged with concern as she sat on the chair beside my bed. She folded her hands in her lap and tilted her head slightly, studying me. “You’ve been out for a month, Alison. Xander has… he’s not been himself.”
I shifted, propping myself up against the pillows. My muscles screamed in protest, reminding me just how frail I still was. “Not himself?” I managed to croak out, my voice hoarse from disuse.
Katherine’s lips twitched into a sad smile. “He’s been ignoring everyone’s advice, charging forward with reckless abandon. He even attacked Silver Moon. Can you believe it? Attacked them without so much as a plan B. People are starting to call him… their mad Alpha.”
Her imitation of Xander’s fiery temper was uncannily accurate, and before I could help myself, a laugh bubbled up from my throat. It was weak, and before I knew it, it dissolved into a fit of coughing.
“Easy, easy,” Katherine said, rushing to my side. She grabbed the glass of water from the bedside table and pressed it into my trembling hands. Her touch was gentle but firm as she guided it to my lips. She didn’t seem anything like the woman who had once detested me previously, it felt awkward but I was grateful regardless.
I sipped the cool liquid she offered, savoring the way it soothed my parched throat. “Thank you,” I murmured, my voice barely audible.
Katherine sighed and sank back into the chair. Her usual poise seemed slightly frayed around the edges. “You scared us all, you know. Xander especially.” She paused, her gaze distant. “I don’t know what would’ve happened to my son if we’d lost you.”
The weight of her words hung in the air, pressing down on me. I wanted to respond, to reassure her, but no words came. Instead, I stared down at my hands, noting how thin and fragile they looked, like porcelain that might shatter under too much pressure.
The moment was shattered by the sudden, thunderous bang of the door flying open. Both Katherine and I jumped, our heads snapping toward the sound. My heart stuttered in my chest as a figure filled the doorway.
“Xander,” I whispered, my voice a mix of disbelief and relief.
He looked… different. His once perfectly styled hair was now wild and unkempt, falling messily over his forehead. A scruffy beard framed his sharp jawline, and his eyes, those piercing, stormy eyes looked haunted, as though he hadn’t slept in weeks. His clothes hung loosely on his frame, emphasizing how much weight he had lost. All because of me.
For a moment, he just stood there, his chest rising and falling heavily as if he were trying to catch his breath. His gaze locked onto mine, and I saw something raw and unguarded in his expression.
Katherine cleared her throat and stood. “I’ll give you two some privacy,” she said, slipping past Xander. As the door clicked shut behind her, I caught a fleeting glimpse of another figure standing in the hallway, a man I vaguely recognized as the one who had been in Xander’s office with him the other day.
Xander crossed the room in a slow and deliberate steps, as though he were afraid I might disappear if he moved too quickly. When he reached me, he sank to his knees beside the bed, his hands trembling as they reached for mine.
“You’re awake,” he said, his voice cracking. “I… God, Alison, I didn’t think I’d ever see you open your eyes again, I have missed you, my love .”
I couldn’t stop the tears that welled up in my eyes as I reached out to touch his face. His skin was rough against my fingertips, a stark contrast to the Xander I remembered. “You look terrible,” I whispered, a weak smile tugging at my lips.
A laugh escaped him, half-choked and full of emotion. “You have no idea,” he said. Then, without warning, he pulled me into a hug. It was fierce, desperate, and all-consuming. His arms wrapped around me like a lifeline, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe.
“Xander,” I gasped, tapping his shoulder. “I can’t… breathe.”
He released me immediately, pulling back with an apologetic look. “Sorry,” he muttered, running a hand through his unruly hair. His eyes roamed over my face, as though trying to memorize every detail. “I just… I really missed you so much.”
“I missed you too,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
He exhaled shakily, his gaze dropping to the bedspread. “The physician said you didn’t stand a chance. They thought the wolfsbane would…” His voice trailed off, and he swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
“But I did,” I said softly. “I’m here, Xander.”
His eyes flicked back to mine, filled with a mixture of relief and guilt. “I know it was Priya,” he said, his voice low. “She’s in custody now. She can’t hurt you again.”
Hearing her name sent a chill down my spine. Memories of her betrayal came rushing back, and I clenched the bedsheet tightly. “I heard everything,” I said, my voice trembling. “Your mother told me.”
Xander’s jaw tightened, and he reached out to take my hand in his. “I’m so sorry, Alison,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I should have been there for you. I should have protected you better. I…”
“Stop,” I said, cutting him off. “What happened wasn’t your fault, Xander. We both made mistakes.”
He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against mine. “I’m going to make it right,” he said. “I promise you, Alison. I’ll never let anything happen to you again.”
Before I could respond, he kissed me. It was slow and tender, filled with all the emotions we couldn’t put into words. For a moment, the rest of the world faded away, and it was just us.
When he finally pulled back, he cupped my face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that had escaped. “I want more,” he said, his voice husky. “But not like this. Not here. When you’re stronger, when things are… better.”
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest.
He stood, his expression shifting to something more serious. “There’s someone you need to meet,” he said.
I blinked, confused. “Who?”
Xander walked to the door and opened it, gesturing for someone to come in. The man from earlier stepped inside, his presence commanding the room. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through me.
“This,” Xander said, his voice steady, “is Alpha Gaius from the Crimson Pack.”
The man stepped closer, stopping at the foot of my bed. His gaze softened as he looked at me, and when he spoke, his voice was deep and resonant. “Alison,” he said, “I’m your father.”
The words hit me like a freight train, leaving me reeling. “What?” I whispered, my mind struggling to process what he’d just said.
Gaius nodded, his expression both hopeful and hesitant. “You were taken from us when you were just a year old. Our pack was raided, and I thought I’d lost you forever. But I never stopped searching for you.”
Xander added, “This explains how you survived the wolfsbane poisoning. It’s in your blood, Alison. You’re stronger than you realize.”
The moon goddess’s words echoed in my mind: You are special.
Tears streamed down my face as I looked up at Gaius, the truth finally sinking in. “Dad,” I whispered, the word feeling foreign yet so right on my tongue.
And for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I felt whole.